SSL_CTX_SESSIONS(3)

📦 version 4.4.0, in alpine 3.24, arch rolling

🦋 SSL_CTX_SESSIONS(3) 🦋

okay so bestie, you're looking at SSL_CTX_SESSIONS(3) — the page about peeking into the internal session cache. it's giving very specific Unix energy, and we're gonna get into it. 💅

🌸 NAME 🌸

SSL_CTX_sessions — access internal session cache

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

the synopsis is literally right here, copy it exactly, no cap:

library “libssl” libcrypto #include <openssl/ssl.h>

LHASH_OF(SSL_SESSION) *
SSL_CTX_sessions(SSL_CTX *ctx);

💅 DESCRIPTION 💅

SSL_CTX_sessions() returns a pointer to the lhash databases containing the internal session cache for ctx. so like, that's the main character move: you call it, you get the pointer, boom. ✨

The sessions in the internal session cache are kept in an lhash-type database (see lh_new(3)). it is possible to directly access this database, e.g., for searching. 👀

In parallel, the sessions form a linked list which is maintained separately from the lhash operations.

🚨 real talk: the database must not be modified directly but by using the SSL_CTX_add_session(3) family of functions. periodt. this is the one rule, bestie — don't go poking the database directly, use the family of functions. 💀

🐚 SEE ALSO 🐚

🎀 HISTORY 🎀

SSL_CTX_sessions() first appeared in SSLeay 0.5.2 and has been available since OpenBSD 2.4. iconic behavior, honestly. 👑

mwah 💋 this page is from Debian, dated June 8, 2025, and it's SSL_CTX_SESSIONS(3) — byeee, bestie 🫶✨

📦 where this page comes from